Water heater and mixer



April 21, 1931. 3 LINDBERG 1,801,513

WATER HEATER AND MIXER Filed July 7, 1928 rii? Z 1 4 a BERNHARD LINDBERG,

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 {UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR,'BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HARRY KOPLIN, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS I WATER HEATER Am MIXER Application filed hi a, 1928. Serial No. 291,128.

The water in large washing machines employed in laundries for washing clothes is commonly heated by means of steam introduced into the same. WVhen the steam, under pressure, strikes the walls of the casing or housing rapid wear of the latter takes place if the walls aremade ofwood. One of the objects of the present invention is'to make it possible to deliver steam into a washing machine without causing any deterioration in the structure of the machine.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a head through which the steam is discharged,

. the steamniixing with the water in the machine before leaving the head, so that the steam is not discharged as such but as part of a mass composed of water and steam. The water carried along with the steam must be replaced by other water, with the result that the water in the machine iscaused to circulate; uniform heating being quickly efiect-ed and the creation of suds being expedited.

Therefore, viewed, in one of its aspects the present invention may be said to have for its object quickly and uniformly to heat the water in a washing machine, while at the same time producing a good suds.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of the lower portion of a comparatively small washing machine equipped in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, on a larger scale than Fig. 1, through the distributing and mixing head, the section being approximately on line 22 of Fig. 3 Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the head, a fragment of the top wall being broken away.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4c of the drawing, 1 and 2 represent the top and bottom -walls of a shallow elongated shell open at both ends. The bottom wall preferably the other at the left hand end.

slopes'downwardly from both ends toward the middle. Extending downward from the middle of thebottom wall of the shell, and

preferably integral therewith, is a tubular stem 3, the bore in which opens into the chamber within the shell. Within the shell, and extending completely across the same, is a horizontal partition 4 considerably shorter than the shell. The partition divides the chamber in the interior of the shell into an upper compartment 5 and a lower com toward the left and the right, viewing the head as it appears in Fig. 2. However, the

steam meets the water in the head so that the water is carried along with the steam and it is a mixture of steam and water that'is discharged laterally in both directions from the head. As the water moves out through the ends of the head more water enters through theopening or window 7. The result is, that the body of water will circulate in two streams both of which enter the window o'r opening in the top of the head while one leaves the head at the right hand end and Since the bottom wallof the head is inclined upwardly in both directions from the zone in which the steam enters, the moving stream as it leaves the head is traveling upward as well as laterally, so that it will not be driven at right angles vto an end wall of a washing machine casingin which the head maybe mounted. Furthermore, the ends of the bottom wall of the head are extended outwardly a considerable distance beyond the main or body portion of the head in the form of lips 8, 8. These lips liebetween the out going streams and any underlying parts of thecasing or housing of a washing machine andthus prevent wear until the force of the streams isreduced. 1

Any desired number'of these heads maybe placed in a washing machine, depending upon the size of the latter. In Fig. 1 I have s own a comparatively small machine havi a water-containing casing 10 and a rotatab e cylinder 11. The mixing and distributmg head, indicated as a whole at 12, is supported on the bottom wall of the casing about midway between the ends of the latter. The material of the bottom wall of the casing is referably cut away to receive the inclined ttom of the head while the lips 8 rest on the normal surface of the wood or other material. The stem or nipple passes out to the exterior of the casing through a suitable opening in the bottom wall of the casing. The stem or nipple is preferably provided with external pipe threads so that the head may be locked in place by means of a nut 13 screwed on to the stem or nipple. Suitable washer means 14 adapted to make a watertight joint, may be placed between the nut and the bottom of the casing. Steam is sup plied to the head through a pipe 15 connected to the projecting end of the stem or nipple.

It will be seen that it there water in the casing and steam is turned on, the steam mixed with water will be discharged toward the right and left from the head, while the water in the casing is drawn down into the center of the head as previously explained. The result is that the force of the steam is dissipated and cannot injure the casing; while at the same time the water is thoroughly agitated and circulated so as to secure a rapid and uniform distribution of the head and insure a rapid formation of suds.

If desired, the horizontal partition in the head may have on its underside a central conical projection 16 whose long axis is coincident with the long axis of the stem or nipple; thereby causing a spreading of the steam as it rises into the head.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim 1. The combination with the stationary water-containing casing of a washing machine, of an open-ended shell in the casing, a longitudinal partition extending across the interior of the shell and terminating at a considerable distance inwardly from each end of the shell, there being an opening through the wall of the shell on one side of the partition to admit water, and there being a steam inlet into the shell on the opposite side of the partition.

2. The combination with the stationary water containing casing of a washing machine, of a member located in the bottom of the casin and containing a chamber open at the en s of said member, the chamber in the central portion of said member being divided into two compartments merging into each other toward the ends of said member, there being an opening through the side of said member into one of the compartments to admit water from the casing, and means for delivering steam into the other compartment.

3. The combination with the stationary water-receiving casing of a washing ma chine, of an open-ended shell within the easing and lying against the bottom wall thereof, the bottom wall of the shell extending a considerable distance beyond the ends of the shell, a horizontal partition considerably shorter than the shell extending across the interior thereof to divide the interior into up er and lower,compartments mergedjnto eac other within the ends of the shell, the top wall of the shell having a large opening to admit water from the casing, and a steam pipe passing through the bottom wall of the casing and communicating with the lower compartment in the shell at about the middle thereof.

4. A mixing head for a washing machine comprising a shell open at the ends, the bottom wall of the shell being extended beyond the body of the shell at each end, a horizontal partition extending across the interior of the shell, the partition being shorter than the body of the shell and dividing the interior of the latter into an upper and a lower compartment merged into each other within the ends of the shell, the top wall of the shell having a large opening therein, and a tubular stem extending downwardly from the bottom of the shell and having its bore communicating with said lower compartment.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

BERNI-IARD LINDBERG. 

